Justus Ramsey Stone House
Encyclopedia
The Justus Ramsey Stone House is the oldest known house still standing in Saint Paul
in the U.S.
state of Minnesota
. The house, located at 252 West 7th Street is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
. The home is an example of a Saint Paul residence of a settler of some financial means.
, Dauphin County
, Pennsylvania
and learned the printer's trade. He was first employed as a surveyor for the Pennsylvania Railroad
, then came to Saint Paul in 1849 where he engaged in the grocery business and in real estate
. He was the older brother of the first governor of Minnesota Territory
, Alexander Ramsey
. In 1850, he was elected to the Minnesota Territorial Legislature and served for three terms; he also served in other governmental posts, including carrying the treaty payment to the Dakota when the Dakota War of 1862
erupted.
, Henry M. Rice, and Justice Ramsey for $60.00 in 1849. The land was subdivided in 1850, and Justus Ramsey kept the title to the lot where this two-room house was built; it is believed that he initially lived in the home. It was constructed with 2-foot-thick light gray quarry-faced limestone walls, ashlar-coursed with lime mortar. In 1859, Ramsey lost or sold the home, after which it served as a barber shop and a residence.
Ramsey committed suicide in 1881, leaving behind a fortune of $200,000.
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
state of Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. The house, located at 252 West 7th Street is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. The home is an example of a Saint Paul residence of a settler of some financial means.
Ramsey
Justus Cornelius Ramsey was born in HummelstownHummelstown, Pennsylvania
Hummelstown is a borough in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 4,360 as of the 2000 census. It is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, Dauphin County
Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
Dauphin County is a county in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and is one of the three counties comprising the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010 census, the population was 268,100. The county includes the city of Harrisburg, which has served as the state capital...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and learned the printer's trade. He was first employed as a surveyor for the Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
, then came to Saint Paul in 1849 where he engaged in the grocery business and in real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
. He was the older brother of the first governor of Minnesota Territory
Minnesota Territory
The Territory of Minnesota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 3, 1849, until May 11, 1858, when the eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Minnesota.-History:...
, Alexander Ramsey
Alexander Ramsey
Alexander Ramsey was an American politician. He was born near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.Alexander Ramsey was elected from Pennsylvania as a Whig to the U.S. House of Representatives and served in the 28th and 29th congresses from March 4, 1843 to March 4, 1847...
. In 1850, he was elected to the Minnesota Territorial Legislature and served for three terms; he also served in other governmental posts, including carrying the treaty payment to the Dakota when the Dakota War of 1862
Dakota War of 1862
The Dakota War of 1862, also known as the Sioux Uprising, was an armed conflict between the United States and several bands of the eastern Sioux. It began on August 17, 1862, along the Minnesota River in southwest Minnesota...
erupted.
The building
The 35-acre (14 ha) parcel including 252 West 7th Street was purchased by Henry Hastings SibleyHenry Hastings Sibley
Henry Hastings Sibley was the first Governor of the U.S. state of Minnesota.-Early life and education:...
, Henry M. Rice, and Justice Ramsey for $60.00 in 1849. The land was subdivided in 1850, and Justus Ramsey kept the title to the lot where this two-room house was built; it is believed that he initially lived in the home. It was constructed with 2-foot-thick light gray quarry-faced limestone walls, ashlar-coursed with lime mortar. In 1859, Ramsey lost or sold the home, after which it served as a barber shop and a residence.
Ramsey committed suicide in 1881, leaving behind a fortune of $200,000.